Improvement in apparatus for drying the soles and heels of boots and shoes



J. T. JEFFERS & E. T. BRACKETT.

Apparatus for Drying the Sales and Heels of Boots and Shoes.

N0.15|,225, Patented May 26,1874.

. 0A (Z ll I I, I I I, I, I, I I I l l 5' .A. D a 1/7 b F A G d H (Z r Witnesses. Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JAMES T. JEFFERS AND EBEN T. BBAGKETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FQR DRYING THE SOLES AND HEELS 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,225, dated May 26, 1874 application filed February 7, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES T. JEFFERS and EBEN T. BRAOKETT, of Lynn, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Apparatus for Drying the Soles and Heels of Shoes, of which the following is a specification:

The object of our invention is an apparatus for drying the solesand heels of shoes preparatory to buffing, in which the heat is derived from steam, steam-pipes being so inclosed and arranged that the heat therefrom will be diffused and regulated by causing a circulation of air.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of our apparatus, a part being broken away to show the interior arrangement; and Fig. 2, a vertical section parallel to the plane of the ends.

There are serious objections to drying the soles of shoes in any apparatus in which the heat of a flame is used directly, there being great danger of crisping the soles in spots, while other parts are not sufficiently dried; and, also, the soles, not being evenly dried, are not so nicely buffed. In order to overcome these objections we cause steam to pass through the coil of pipe A, placed horizontally in the rectangular case B, as shown. Spread over the top of the case B is the wire netting (J, or other equivalent support for the shoes, which are simply set thereon. Extending horizontally through the case B, and under the coil of pipe A,'is the partition I). This partition has openings a a at suitable intervals throughout its whole extent. Another sheet of metal, E, is placed in juxtaposition to, and, as shown in the drawing, directly under the partition D. This also has openings 11 b, corresponding to the openings in partition D, and slides endwise, being operated by the wire or handle e, for the purpose of ch-cnging the relation of the openings in E to those in D, in order to regulate the size of the continued openings from the lower to the upper part of the case B-that is, the slide E performs the office of a damper.

e conceive it to be of advantage, also, in some cases, to have a similar contrivance for the bottom of the case B in the fixed bottom F, with the openings at d, and the slide Gr, having the openings 0 G, and operated by the handle f, as shown, in order to provide an air-chamber, H, and regulate the temperature thereof.

It will be readily seen that, steam being admitted to the pipe A, by allowing the air to pass through the openings in the bottom F and partition D, a circulation of air will be kept up about the steam-pipe and about the shoes placed on the netting O, and that the heels and soles thereof will be evenly dried; and, moreover, by adjusting the slides G and E, more or less air will pass up through the case B, thus regulating the heat about said soles and heels.

WVe claim as our invention- 1. The combination of the case 13, provided with a perforated bottom, F, pipe A, wire netting C, partition D, having the openings a a, and slide E, having the openings 1) b, all arranged and constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the case 13, coil A, partition D, and slide E, constructed and arranged as described.

JAMES T. JEFFERS.

EBEN T. BRACKETT.

Witnesses:

EDWARD DUMMER, Josnrrr BRAGKETT. 

